Mom Go Green (SF Blogger)

August 6, 2007

I read Three Cups of Tea a few months ago and I can't stop thinking about it. Maybe you've already read it (it's been on the NYT bestseller list for 26 weeks now).

I'll let Amazon provide the synopsis more succinctly than I ever could:

"Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse's unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way.

As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. Captivating and suspenseful, with engrossing accounts of both hostilities and unlikely friendships, this book will win many readers' hearts."

It isn't about the environment or about being a mom, even. So what does it have to do with mom go green? For one, it gave me great insight to living in a remote area of a third world country. Glimpsing daily life in those remote mountain villages made me realize how wasteful our culture is with both resources and "things." The book is also so inspiring since it tells the story of what one person can accomplish with perseverance and determination. The story is true, recent, and so relevant to our world at this moment.

I also love the lesson that maybe the solutions to big problems are not direct. I mean, who would have thought that building schools for girls could help curb terrorism. The indirect effects of the schools on the culture are fascinating.

And so how does this book relate to mom go green?

Because it makes me appreciate all the resources that I have available in my daily life. It inspires me to conserve them and be grateful. I am hopeful that individuals can make a difference wherever they have a strong will to do so.

Hey, I'm not asking you to change the world--just to read the book! It is really wonderful. To buy the book it is great if you click through the books' website first, which will bring you to Amazon. By doing this Amazon gives lots of money to the non-profit supporting the schools. Thousands have been collected already and it only costs $1 per month for a student to attend the schools!

If you want to support Greg Mortenson's continued efforts you can donate to The Central Asia Institute.

http://www.momgogreen.com/2007/08/three-cups-of-tea.html

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